This invention relates to a connector assembly comprising two connectors mateable with each other.
For example, this type of connector assembly is disclosed in JP2014-146472A (Patent Document 1), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Referring to FIG. 29, Patent Document 1 discloses a connector assembly 90 which comprises a receptacle (first connector) 92 and a plug (second connector) 94. The first connector 92 comprises a plurality of contacts 920 and a housing 930 which holds the contacts 920. The housing 930 is formed with two guide channels 932. The second connector 94 comprises a plurality of contacts 940 and a housing 950 which holds the contacts 940. The housing 950 has two guided portions 952. While the second connector 94 is mated with the first connector 92, the guided portions 952 are received into the guide channels 932, respectively, so that the second connector 94 is positioned to the first connector 92 in a horizontal direction (Y-direction).
Referring to FIG. 30, when an upward removal force FR directed in the positive Z-direction is applied to the second connector 94 which is under the mated state, the second connector 94 can be removed from the first connector 92. This removal force FR is preferred to be applied to the second connector 94 in a well-balanced manner in the Y-direction. However, the removal force FR is often biased toward one of opposite sides of the second connector 94 in the Y-direction. The thus-biased removal force FR generates an angular moment (see dashed line in FIG. 30) about a remaining one of the opposite sides of the second connector 94 in the Y-direction (the positive Y-side in FIG. 30), so that the second connector 94 is inclined relative to the first connector 92. When the inclination angle is large, the guided portion 952 (see FIG. 29), which is located at the remaining one of the opposite sides in the Y-direction, is strongly pressed against an outer wall 934 of the guide channel 932, so that the housing 930 and/or the housing 950 might be damaged.